Thursday, May 28, 2009

WASHINGTON, May 28, 2009 -- Afghan and coalition forces killed more than 30 militants in two separate operations in Afghanistan today, military officials said.

Coalition and Afghan forces killed at least 29 militants during a fierce firefight at a suspected foreign fighter camp in Paktika province, military officials said.

In the mountainous region near the Pakistan border, combined forces raided the enemy encampment, where intelligence sources indicated a senior Haqqani network leader was plotting future attacks in the area.

Dozens of well-armed militants began firing on the combined force to repel the assault. Afghan and coalition forces returned fire, engaging enemies located both in heavily fortified positions and inside the compound. Military officials underscored that the combined ground force was under fire when it called for air strikes against the enemy.

At least six militants detonated suicide vests, slaying only themselves during the fight, and military officials said multiple enemies killed in the firefight were found with grenades that had been rigged to detonate upon disruption. Troops also discovered stockpiles of weapons after the raid.

During one blast, a coalition member suffered minor wounds. No civilians were injured in the operation, military officials said.

In a separate operation in Farah province in western Afghanistan, Afghan commandos and coalition forces killed two militants.

As the Afghan-led force conducted a combat reconnaissance patrol, it encountered militants armed with an assault rifle, machine gun and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher riding on a motorcycle.

The patrol engaged the militants with small-arms fire, killing both, military officials said.